From Ruin to Reign Leander's Unbreakable Will novel Chapter 409

Gemma stood nearby with her husband and daughter, observing Leander and Daphne, and suppressed a sigh. "When Hazel was still alive, she treated Leander like her own son. Her words clearly showed that she genuinely hoped Madeline and Leander would end up together. But life changes so quickly. Now he has brought home an incredibly beautiful girl—honestly, even more attractive than Madeline. It seems Hazel's wish will never be fulfilled."

Francis shot her a disapproving look. "You're too old to be spouting nonsense like that. Hazel cared for Leander as if he were her own child, and Madeline is her biological daughter. That makes Leander and Madeline like siblings. Since when do siblings end up together?"

Gemma, being a straightforward village woman, didn't care about such distinctions. She retorted immediately, "So what? They're not connected by blood, so how are they siblings? If they were to marry and have children, what would be wrong with that?"

He was left speechless, not knowing how to refute her.

Meanwhile, Stella's gaze shifted as she looked back and forth between Leander and Daphne, a peculiar feeling stirring within her.

In those days, she, Leander, Madeline, and her little sister used to explore Greenstem together. The four shared a deep bond.

Being the oldest, two years senior to Leander, she had always kept a watchful eye on him. His quiet depth and an occasional air of weariness had captivated her without her even realizing it.

She once dreamt of a future where he would marry her in a traditional ceremony, dressed in vibrant red wedding attire.

Yet, eight years had flown by in the blink of an eye. Everything had transformed. He now had his partner, and she, too, was on the verge of starting her own family. This brought with it a gentle sense of regret.

Though he had been absent for eight years, she had still thought of him from time to time. Now, seeing him again as a tall, attractive young man caused her long-buried feelings to resurface even more.

However, remembering that Stella was already engaged and had her engagement ceremony tomorrow forced her to look away and steady her emotions.

"Mdm. Murphy, Mr. Wilson!" Leander shouted.

After he and Daphne paid their respects at Hazel's grave, they turned towards Gemma.

"When I returned two years ago, Ms. Shire's grave didn't appear like this. It looks completely redone now. Did you all fund the renovations?" he inquired.

Gemma and Francis quickly shook their heads and explained, "We just come by to clean whenever we can. We didn't pay for this. A few months back, a group of influential people came and had it restored. They claimed to be from Hazel's family."

"Oh?" Leander touched his nose, and it dawned on him: the Barret family must have arranged for the grave to be rebuilt.

He chatted a bit more with Gemma before preparing to leave with Daphne to get ready for their trip to Harrowside, when she suddenly stepped in his way.

"Leander, the last time you visited, you hurried off so quickly that you didn't even stop by my house for a proper meal. This time, you can't leave without stopping by!" she declared.

"Tomorrow is Stella's engagement ceremony. Relatives and friends from our village and nearby are all coming to our house. You must stay for the celebration and share in the joy!" she continued.

He hesitated for a moment. "Stella's engagement ceremony?"

He turned to Stella, who gave him a shy smile and nodded slightly.

"So it's Stella's engagement. I really need to congratulate you!" he exclaimed.

His smile was genuine, and his well-wishes carried sincerity.

"Leander, thank you." Stella appeared somewhat uneasy, but she still responded positively.

He then introduced Daphne to her. "Dani, this is Stella Wilson. You can call her Stella. When I lived here, she was like the big sister of our group, always looking out for me. Since it's her engagement ceremony, we definitely can't miss it."

Daphne smiled warmly and sweetly addressed, "Stella!"

Stella returned the smile, though her heart felt a slight ache.

At one time, she had envisioned herself as the one beside Leander in the future. But now, that role was filled by a woman even more beautiful and graceful than she was.

Still, when she thought of her fiancé—a well-known scholar, very wealthy, with ten apartments in the county—and her future father-in-law ranking among the top twenty richest individuals there, she gradually came to terms with it.

She thought, No matter how much I once cared for Leander, it's nothing more than a childhood dream now. People should look to the future, not the past.

I met my current fiancé during my university years. He appreciates me for who I truly am and pursues me without pause. Talented, adaptable, worth tens of millions, and even an amateur Sanda fighter—eventually, I can't resist anymore and agree to be with him.

Stella thought, Being naturally conservative, my fiancé and I only held hands and hugged throughout college. But he consistently treats me with kindness and respect, never overstepping any boundaries. Even so, our relationship has reached the stage of engagement.

I'm confident he truly loves me.

A commotion erupted, with people arguing, pushing, and hurling insults at one another.

"Those b*stards are back again!" someone shouted.

Gemma's expression changed instantly, her face darkening. Francis didn't hesitate—he grabbed a sturdy wooden stick and charged out of the door.

Leander furrowed his brow slightly. "Mdm. Murphy, what's happening?"

Gemma's demeanor was tense, her voice dripping with anger. "Ugh, it's those thugs from Grandhawk Properties again. They're trying to pressure us into selling the village so they can construct some so-called 'eco resort.' Since nobody wants to sell, they keep showing up every few days to create trouble."

She gestured towards Leander as she concluded, "It's alright, Leander, don't stress about it. Mr. Wilson and many of the village men are out there. Nothing serious is going to occur—it's not the first time this has happened, anyway. And besides, they won't be causing trouble for much longer."

There was a note of pride in her voice as she patted Stella's shoulder.

"Stella's fiancé has already intervened. Tomorrow, he and his future father-in-law will be coming over from the county with some associates.

"His family is worth tens of millions, and he ranks among the top twenty wealthiest in the county. He has connections everywhere. With their involvement, this whole situation will be resolved swiftly," she explained.

"Come on, let's have dinner," she encouraged.

Leander remained mostly quiet after hearing this. He simply nodded, followed her inside, and took a seat calmly on the couch.

Stella entered behind him. She noticed how composed and still Leander was and felt even more certain about her choice.

She thought, When the village faces difficulties like this, my fiancé can resolve everything with just a word and a phone call, while Leander, when he hears about it, can only sit there quietly, unable to change anything. The contrast between them feels striking.

She suppressed the last remnants of her feelings for Leander with a soft exhale.